Month: October 2020

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Travel

Dubai: A Modern Dichotomy

“The testament to humanity’s ingenuity is not found in our shores or forests but along our deserts, where we’ve turned what’s ornery into an oasis.”

When it comes to Dubai, I’m not sure how to describe it as it encompasses both of what I so much like and dislike about a contemporary city. On the one hand, it’s a convenient gateway between Europe, Asia, and Africa, with layover flights abounding as you enter to and fro for a few nights before moving on. But would I want to stay here a month?

It’s also very multicultural yet the races are distinctly divided, with the European expats (primarily Brits) working in finance and out at the clubs at night while the South and Southeast Asian migrants who built this city are generally hidden from view and only seen in the day working construction or at various fast-food and retail shops.

To see a city built in just fifteen years from a desert reveals the astonishing speed of human ingenuity, yet when cities emerge so hastily this gives little time for an authentic cultural history to develop.

Regarding its people, the citizens of Dubai are generally warm yet extravagant, revealing a vibe that both embraces western materialism yet shuns it due to their religious tenets, which serves as a dichotomy within itself.

I first traveled here in my twenties to see what all the fuss was about, as back in the 2000s Dubai was accomplishing extraordinary architectural strides. Since then, I have returned every now and then due to its convenient geographic location between continents.

Inside Ski Dubai. A modern wonder of ingenuity and excess.

Regarding rates, a stay at one of the many hotels here isn’t outlandish as you can find five-star locations for just under $200 a night. But the price of alcohol is, since the Emirates as a nation bans the sale of alcohol outside of hotels, lounges, and clubs. Because of this, make sure to pack a few bottles at duty-free before you enter, otherwise it’s $20 a drink wherever you go.

Would I still recommend checking out this city? Yes… If for nothing else, the architecture here is astounding and the Arabic culture is very different from what you experience in other Middle Eastern nations. I also recommend checking out Abu Dhabi, which has opened its own Louvre museum in 2017.

Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world (828 meters)

Overall, the locals here are very hospitable, well traveled, and the country itself gives you an idea of how capitalism would look like under an Arabic model, with the Emirates being the highest and only Middle Eastern country ranked in the top-20 under the 2020 Index of Economic Freedom.

With all that money in the desert, they have the luxury to turn sand castles into concrete playgrounds.

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Travel

Mahaba Beach: A Tale of Beachboys, Fishermen, and Tribal Elements

“From beachboys to skaters, nomads to surfers, we follow the sentiments of the seasons as our freedoms guide us; our expressions define us.

It’s not that we don’t care, it’s we realize these times are rare. So let’s grab a drink, not think, and do as we dare.”

In Tanzania, a beachboy is the derogatory term for a young man who has no plans for his future and spends his nights drinking away. Due to their nature, they’re often found at the beach. Due to my nature, I often encounter them. Very few are nefarious in nature, they’re akin to the skating culture of the west coast — those individuals who aren’t living life in a hurry, wake up with eyes blurry, and their last thought is no worry. Nomads in their own right, they live how it is and live for the night.

In My 20s
From Left: Benja and Dudubuya, two popular rappers in the Tanzanian circuit. RIP to the Man on the Right

Encapsulating these elements off of eastern Tanzania, you’ll also encounter Maasai tribesman, often hired as security guards for bars, restaurants, and private homes. You can immediately tell they are Maasai by the way they’re dressed. As the only ethnic tribe in Tanzania who still dress in traditional garb, they are easy to spot and a fascination for western tourists.

Unlike the extroverted and rap-lauding beachboys, the Maasai are more placid in nature and stick to their roots. Many cannot speak English as fluently as the beachboys, who frequent Zanzibar Island and the shores off the eastcoast of Tanzania.

I first traveled to Mahaba Beach in my mid-2os, as we’d frequently throw parties here. The owner is a local Tanzanian and his wife is from Europe. In terms of hospitality, I am very partial to the owners here because they understand intuitively why nomads travel to Africa, many of whom embrace the local rasta culture.

Owner on the Left

I am very appreciative to Mama Bea, as we call her, because she radiates warmth and offers my students free rein to chill at her beach on field trips.

I co-founded a nonprofit preschool in Tanzania a few years ago and now we have over forty students. And, as any kid, who wants to stay indoors all day?

In terms of location, Mahaba beach is directly across from Zanzibar Island, and you can hire a private boat to take you to and fro Zanzibar if you’re up for it.

When I traveled back to this area in my 30’s, I came with a different mindset, as I was more interested in learning about the local culture here since there are several villages that dot around the region. They make their money from weaving fish baskets (as pictured below) and from fishing.

Seeing as how so few foreigners traverse these village areas, I set out to make a short documentary about the lives of these fishermen. We awoke at 4AM to head out for shooting, catching the sunrise as we overcame our hangovers.

In terms of the fishermen here, they set out their traps overnight and see what they find in the morning. They have to arrive early since sometimes robbers will steal their traps.

The biggest catches here are Yellowfin Tuna and Kingfish for those using nets, while these teenagers capture smaller game from their traps.

After collecting a day’s catch, they head to the local auction to sell it, but they usually only make about $10-15 a day. Having spent several months living here, I’d frequent the auctions to buy fish. Usually a week’s supply of food would only cost me $15-20, and I was the only foreigner out here at these auctions.

They first viewed me suspiciously when my local cameraman and I were shooting videos, and some of the village elders even told the teenage fishermen I filmed that I was scamming them to make thousands of dollars off their content. They thought I came from a big foreign production company when, in reality, I was just a nomad curious about their lives.

But this is life. In my travels, people are often circumspect of my intentions and I’ve ended up in some heated situations when, at the end of the day, my curiosity is what led me to journey.

So I buy them a beer and give them a salute for, at the end of the day, life is short so let’s enjoy it.

Categories
Travel

Thailand: Digital Nomad

“As a forerunner, chase the path you’re envisioning as opposed to the steps which already exist.”

Starting in 2015, I have spent about a third of my year traversing various countries, spending about a month each in every new destination, with the remainder of my time split between Korea and Tanzania. It’s fitting that the first destination I describe is Thailand, which is ranked by many travel sites as one of the best countries for digital nomads, be it the cities of Chiang Mai, Bangkok, or Phuket.

So what is a digital nomad?

It’s an individual whose job is not location-dependent, enabling them to travel freely. The most typical professions are those in IT or other tech-related industries. As an education consultant, my path to becoming a digital nomad followed a circuitous route. I quit my job at the end of 2014 to spend a year visiting home (California) and to travel through Central America, Europe and Africa.

I enjoyed my job as an education consultant and really enjoyed living in Korea, but I could see the path ahead of me if I stayed this course: I’d eventually start my own company, buy an apartment, settle down, and pop out a few kids. Though this path is what many strive for, I felt stifled by it, as I wasn’t quite ready to give up on my greater aspirations. As someone intensely driven by adventure and purpose, I chose to quit my job to return to Tanzania to build a nonprofit school and hopefully become a writer.   

I found this path far more appealing and suitable to my taste, although my family strongly disagreed (which is natural). At heart, I think to each his own and you have to chase the path you’re trying to create rather than embracing the one that comes most natural.

That sentiment captures the ethos of a nomad and, as proponents like Elon Musk state, if we really are living in a simulation than shouldn’t we approach life as a game? In no video game do you end from where you started; the epic and tales reside in the journey. And, so it is, in my thirties I chose to journey.

As I immersed myself in my travels, the companies I used to consult for became more open to my proposal of working online. Sometimes, you need to make the leap yourself for others to believe in the concept. Other times, quite frankly, they may not have a better alternative. Either way, go in the direction you want. These companies will still likely exist in a decade whereas my youth will not.

Regarding Bangkok itself, I had no specific reason why I chose this location. I was running out of options to be honest since I had by then (2017) visited the countries I wanted to check out. Having read so much online about the digital nomad lifestyle out here though, I felt I needed to revisit it from when I first vacationed here in my early 20’s.

The best word I can use to describe my lifestyle in Thailand is comfort. Thailand’s very comfortable for foreigners to have a longer stay in. The tourism infrastructure is great for travel, the cuisine is delicious, prices are affordable, the weather is generally favorable, the locals are friendly, it’s easy to meet fellow nomads, massage therapists near every corner, and the nightlife is entertaining.  

There are several cafes and hotel lounges which offer you a great Wifi connection and a quiet atmosphere when you want to work.

Between my experiences, I’d recommend working from the city’s hotel lounges, as these spots offer a better atmosphere and less people.

I feel that locals and tourists alike have an aversion for visiting hotels they’re not staying at, which is a shame since these places offer the best views and ambience.

In Thailand, the prices are relatively affordable for a meal or drink wherever you go, and if you need to work for a few hours, the return on value is more than worth it.

I am by no means a foodie, but if there are two countries which I can strongly recommend to visit when it comes to cuisine, it’s Japan and Thailand. The former destination gets expensive while the latter is unique in that the street carts are just as good as the five-star restaurants.

Tom Yum Soup became my go-to meal by the end of my stay, and Thai food is overall delectable for its varied spices, pastes, herbs, veggies, curries, and seafood.

As Australian chef David Thompson has said, unlike other countries, Thai cooking is “about the juggling of disparate elements to create a harmonious finish.”

I feel the same way when it comes to concocting my Coconut Cocktails.

Though Thailand is becoming overwhelmed by tourism in the past decade, it’s a great introduction for anyone who’s pursuing their first steps into a digital nomad lifestyle.

Half the fun is not knowing where you’ll end up next.

Categories
Travel

Antigua: Colonial Spain in Central America

“Named after fire, water, and earth, the volcanoes of Antigua serve a straightforward response as to the forces in control.”

Designated as a UNESCO world heritage site, the highlands of Antigua are a great gateway into Guatemala as you explore its Spanish Baroque architecture and familiarize yourself with the country. Antigua is considered by Tripadvisor, “the best-preserved Spanish colonial city in Central America,” which in itself gives one a great reason to visit.

Facade of the El Carmen Church

Contrary to expectations, there are only a little over 35,000 residents in the city, which gives any nomad an idea of how exploring the city will feel. What stands out prominently are its old colonial churches.

St. James Cathedral San Joseph Parish

Beyond its churches, the city is easy to navigate as it has a square grid given its Spanish heritage, in which conquistadors first traversed the area in the 1500s. As ominous as these invaders were, the area has a history of also being plagued by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, which also hint at its low population figures. The last major evacuation occurred in 2018 when the volcano, Fuego, erupted.

The central park is known as the city square and is a popular area to walk, where you see both locals and tourists roam. The tourism infrastructure is well-developed here, a popular destination for cruise ships from both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.

For the more adventurous, Antigua is a great entry-point to explore the interior of Guatemala. If only here for a day or two, there are several jewelry and souvenir shops which offer local wares, as well as more scenic spots to roam as you take in the splendor of the city.

There are also several historic boutique hotels here in which the staff is friendly. They’re willing to provide you an upgrade to a master suite if you cordially explain to them, “I just flew in… So why not?”

Coming home to making a fire always adds warmth to a nomadic experience.

And, so it is, I’ll recommend anyone flying into Guatemala City to spend a few days checking out Antigua, which is only an hour drive away. It’s not an authentic experience in the traditional sense, but it does give you a few nights of relaxation before you check out the rest of the country and its Mayan roots.

In the meantime, you can read up on where to go next from its many perched rooftop balconies and hammocks.

Categories
Travel

Hiking an Urban Fortress

“From highrises to urban enterprises, a touch of nature is always good for the Seoul.”

In the center of Seoul, north of the Hangang River, lies the sprawling Seoul Fortress Wall. Built in 1396, there are 8 gates total which run for near a 20-kilometer path around Seoul.

They all possess a similar aesthetic and serve as guiding posts if you’re up for a hike. If short on time, I recommend heading east of the wall and exiting Dongdaemun station so you can check out the Dongdaemun Design Plaza as well, which offers various exhibits throughout the year.

The Heunginjimun Gate is located here and rather easy to spot. From there, you follow the meandering path northward.

There are several viewpoints and cafes along the way which offer panoramic sights if you want to take a break.

The paths are leisurely and you encounter historically-renovated homes which provide you a perspective of how this area looked like decades ago. There’s also more colorful, family-run spots you can check out.

In contrast to the homogenous urban sprawl located south of the river in districts like Gangnam, these neighborhoods along the wall have much more distinct personalities.

For another Seoul Fortress trail, you can start south near Itaewon and head towards Namsan Tower.

Hiking over 500 steps to the top, you eventually reach the tower, which offers breathtaking views and is a popular spot for tourists.

Most my days I had no idea which way I was going to be honest and just followed the path my heart was set on traversing.

Though I lived in Seoul throughout my twenties, back then I wasn’t too into hiking. Going on these trails provides me a different image of Seoul, one in which history and urbanity collides. It all makes for enjoyable afternoons and I’d highly recommend checking out these trails for a day or two if you stop by Seoul.

Located nearby is also the more contemporary Cheonggyecheon stream, which is an 11-kilometer trail built in 2005.

As a massive urban renewal project, it received criticism during its construction phase for costing the government around $900 million. Today, it’s viewed as a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike, restoring what was once a polluted stream covered by concrete in the 1950s.

These walks may not cure your hangover from last night’s soju but they will offer a brief respite as you prepare yourself for another evening of Korean barbecue.

Overall, these types of revitalization efforts in Seoul have been viewed with widespread acclaim, adding a touch of soul to a concrete jungle.